Scent of Roses
by CatHasClaws
Summary: This is an entry for winged-soldiar's Rose Contest. Jack is new in town, add some vampires and a crazy stalker and you'll only end up with trouble.
1. A bit more complicated than that

A/N This is a contest entry to **winged-soldiar**'s contest.

I looked at the huge house at the end of the impossible drive. I knew he was in there. The vampire I'd fallen so in love with. The same vampire I knew didn't want me like I wanted him.

It all started 2 months ago, when I first arrived in the small town of Forks. I was staying with my Uncle, Steven Ball and his son Jack. We had nothing in common except our name, my name is also Jack. It was my first day at school and that's when I saw him. Nathaniel. He sat with a group of other people, all of them unnaturally stunning, all pale skinned and all with golden eyes. There were 7 of them sat there, all talking amongst themselves, all with a tray of untouched food in front of them. They instantly attracted my attention.

When I was paying attention and looking out for him, I noticed I had a few classes with Nathaniel, I also had a few with some of his friends from lunch, including a pretty girl with soft brown hair, a slim, graceful girl with short spiky black hair and a guy who seemed to be attached to the brunette girl. I spent a week just watching them, paying close attention. I knew they knew I was doing it but I still did it anyway. Until a week after my first day the slim brunette came up to where I was sitting at lunch and sat in the always vacant seat next to me.

"Hi," she said, her face smiling her dark gold eyes swimming, "I've just been wondering why you've been staring at me and my friends for a week now." She said it so politely but I could tell she was curious, maybe even annoyed.

"Oh, sorry about that. Was it bothering you?" I said in a perfectly polite tone, but I knew it would annoy her because I didn't answer the question.

"Not at all. I was just wondering why you didn't talk to us, you just stare; my friends think it's a bit rude actually. I tried to tell them, you were probably just intimidated by us and that you would talk to us eventually." She smiled as she spoke, she was chatting to me as if we were friends, which we weren't.

"Sorry, it was only I couldn't help noticing you had the same colours eyes as me." I said, I didn't point out that I knew why they had gold eyes, or why they changed colour, but I think she got the hint.

"Are you?" she asked, politeness gone from her voice, seriousness and urgency replaced it.

"No," I answered with a smile, "but it's a bit more complicated." I answered showing that I couldn't talk about it here.

"Why don't you come and sit with us?" She asked and I nodded and followed her back to her table. I sat down in the empty chair next to her and I could see on all of their faces they had a million questions. They'd obviously heard our conversation.

The petite girl with black hair was the first to speak. "I'm Alice," she said with a smile, "this is Jasper, Emmet, Rosalie, Edward and Bella," she paused at the last boy with a smile on her lips, "And this is Nathaniel,"

"Jack," I said nodding.

"Would you care to explain?" the boy called Edward asked.

"Well it really is a long and complicated story but my step-father was a vampire and I found out and that's how I know so much about vampires," I answered, I could still see the questions in their eyes.

"So why are your eyes gold then?" the one called Emmet asked, his face utterly confused. I smiled.

"I have no idea," I answered simply and honestly, "I was born with them, odd and a huge coincidence sure, but I'm not a vampire," I said. It was true. I had always had gold eyes, they shifted between different shades of gold, but they never went black though. At that point the bell went we all went to our next class.

That was the first day the roses came. When I got home from school they were on the porch. A bouquet of purple roses, my favourite colour roses along with black ones. I picked up the bouquet and looked around. They couldn't be for me, could they? I looked there was a card. It had 4 simple words that made my heart skip a beat.

For Jack

With Love

For the next week I sat with the vampires at lunch, I spoke to them during the day. And for the next week the roses kept on coming. The message written on the card changed from day to day though. Sometimes getting a little creepy. Tuesdays note said 'you looked lovely in that red top today', Wednesdays said 'I can't help but love you, I dream of you at night, I watch you in the day.', Thursdays really scared me though 'I hate the way _he _looks at you, with that wanting look on his face. I'm glad you haven't noticed it yet' and Thursday's went on to say 'I keep meaning to talk to you, but I don't want you to reject me. Tomorrow, I will talk to you tomorrow'.

And now I sat in my car, willing myself to turn the ignition, but terrified of who was sending me the flowers. I was going to be late for school. I practically jumped out of my skin when 

someone knocked on the window. It was only Nathaniel. He saw the look on my face and opened the door.

"Jack, are you OK?" I was willing to bet Edward, Alice or Bella had used their gifts and seen me or my unwanted friend.

"No, not really," I answered honestly, "would you ride to school with me?" it sounded silly to ask, but I was frightened. I don't know why I was particularly frightened, I just was.

"Sure," he said with a reassuring smile.

We rode to school in silence, I was too nervous to talk. When we reached school I wasn't late, probably due to my crazy driving. All day I stuck close by Nathaniel or one of the Cullen's but I had Spanish by myself. Nathaniel walked me to my class and promised to be there when I came out again but we both knew he couldn't come into my lesson with me. I turned around and walked quickly into the room and sat in my usual seat. I'd never really spoken to the girl who sat next to me and so it was only fear that pushed me to say hello.

We spoke for the rest of the lesson. Her name was Linda; she was actually quite a nice girl. When the bell went I rushed to grab my things and get out of that classroom the bell had barely finished ringing but Nathaniel was still waiting for me on the other side of the door and despite myself, I burst into tears of relief. Nathaniel enveloped me in his arms and I leant against him. I knew people were looking, staring but didn't care, I was safe. I felt so foolish for being worried in the first place.

When I calmed down, Nathaniel walked me to lunch; we walked hand in hand, close together. It was right then and I realised that I loved him. It was so sudden and so powerful that I broke down in tears all over again. Believe it or not, but I wasn't usually the crying type, but it had been a stressful week.

I wiped my tears away before Nathaniel could see them and we walked to lunch in silence. We grabbed some food but we didn't sit with the others today, we sat as far away as the small hall would allow.


	2. An epiphany

After we'd sat down I was hit with a great of courage, I'd never felt anything like it.

"I think I've had an epiphany," I whispered to Nathaniel, leaning over the table slightly.

"Really?" he asked his beautiful face creasing in apparent confusion.

"Yes," I answered simply.

"Well, what was it then?" he asked.

"I realised I'm madly in love with you." I stated with a smile.

He looked shocked for a moment but then he smiled.

"Well that's good. Because I love you too." His eyes met mine and I could see that he meant it. We didn't have our next classes together so when the bell went Nathaniel promised to meet me outside my last class.

The next 2 hours seemed to drag by so slowly. Obviously Bella and all of the Cullen's already knew about me and Nathaniel. It wasn't official but it was an unspoken thing. We were together now.

By the end of the last lesson, I was impatient and as soon as the bell hit the first note I was out of the door, Nathaniel however was there waiting. Unfortunately the look on his face was not a good one. I stepped up to him.

"There are some things I'm going to need to explain," and with that he took my hand in his and we walked hand in hand. I didn't mention the fact that his cool touch made my hand tingle, or the fact that my stomach was doing flips at the fact he was so close by my side.

When we reached my car, he opened the passenger door for me and I climbed in. In a flash he was sat next to me, holding his hand out for the keys. I reluctantly handed them over.

"Be careful, she's my baby." I warned. He smiled. My really old Karman Ghia was faded red and tatty and I'd managed to pick it up in a scrap yard. To me it was a work art, a pure beauty.

"So what things do you have to explain?" I asked looking at him.

"Well, there's this vampire and me and him used to be really close. Until we met the Cullens. I had been looking for a way out of hunting humans and I found it, Robert didn't see it that way. I told him I was staying with the Cullens and he just ran off. I haven't seen him since." He avoided my eyes the whole time he was speaking.

"Okay, why did you need to tell me right now?" I prompted.

"Because, he's back. And he's been sending you roses." He said. He face completely crumpled.

"Shit!" I exclaimed. "What are the chances?" I asked rhetorically. He looked at me like I was stupid.

"What?" I asked

"It isn't a coincidence. He was sending you roses to get at me." He stated.

"Oh!" I gasped, "But they started coming even before today...so he couldn't have known...unless he has a power like Alice's," I said, trying to wrap my head around it.

"Umm...not exactly," He said, I swear if vampires could blush he would be beetroot red by now.

"What?" I asked suspiciously.

"Well I loved you even before today. Actually I loved you from the moment I first saw you." He smiled an innocent smile. His eyes seemed to beg him not to be mad at him. As if.

"If you say so," I said doubtfully. I believe in a lot of things. Love and Love at first sight were not two of them. But then again, I know I love Nathaniel.

"So, is he dangerous?" I asked. If he was then I'm not sure what I'd do.

"Yeah, pretty dangerous," Nathaniel answered, his face grim.

"I need to go home. Now." Nathaniel didn't pause to ask. He drove me straight to my house. I nearly had a heart attack waiting for my driveway to appear. Then I saw it. No one was home yet. So much air came out of me right then, I was holding my breath obviously. Before the car came to a stop I was racing to the front door. No roses. That scared me.

I flung the door open and raced into the living room. There, sat in my uncle's chair, was a **vampire.**


	3. Can’t it just end with me?

"Bella!" I gasped. She ran forward and hugged me.

We separated and I crumbled to the floor. I was exhausted. Nathaniel hadn't followed me in, but my brain wouldn't focus for long enough for me to worry about it. I might've blacked out at the point, because the next thing I remember was hearing voices. I kept my eyes closed and regulated my breathing, listening to what they were saying.

"We can't tell her," I heard Bella say; "you know as well as I do she'd go looking for him." She sounded tense, her soft, sweet voice strained.

"But she's in too much danger not to tell her," I heard Alice's sing-song voice reply, "I know what I saw. She died. She deserves to know that." Sadness coloured her voice. I figured I should probably wake up now. I slowly opened my eyes and blinked at the bright light.

"Hey sleepy head," Nathaniel greeted stepping to my side. Looking around I saw I was lying on a white couch, the room was huge. There was a piano, a television and some other basic furniture, but the most amazing this was that the entire back wall was glass.

"Hi," I mumbled, still in shock.

I noticed out of the corner of my eye Bella giving Nathaniel a warning glare, he shook his head almost imperceptibly, and at this Alice sighed and sat on my legs on the sofa. I needed Alice to tell me what she knew.

"Nathaniel," I looked at him with a cute smile on my face, "could I please have a drink? Please?" He smiled, nodded and walked out of the room.

"Oh. Bella, I left my medication a t home. Could you go get it for me? Please?" I asked sweetly. Bella rolled her eyes with a smile.

"Sure, don't worry about it," she left quickly.

"Hey, Alice, could you show where the bathroom is please?" I asked, slightly louder than I needed too so Nathaniel could hear me.

"Sure," Alice answered with a knowing smile.

Alice quickly led me upstairs and into a large bathroom.

"Spill." I demanded. Alice frowned.

"I saw you, and Robert. At school, I think tonight. You were alone, he attacked you, and you died. Not much to tell," She looked at me, as if asking me to forgive her.

"Bella was right. I have to go," I pleaded with Alice, "If I don't who knows who he could hurt. He might not be alone," I imagined him, with my cousin, my uncle, my aunt; "I can't let him hurt anyone." I added.

"I know," she sighed, "I'll do a deal with you Jack, you can go tonight, _but_, and this is a big but, I have to be there too. He won't see me, he won't know I'm there, but someone has to watch your back." She looked at me hard. I nodded. I had no choice, going with Alice was better than not going at all.

That night Alice dealt with it all, she told them I was going home, and that she was going to babysit me. So all that was left to do, was the hard part, face him. We went in my cousin's car, when we got to the school I looked at Alice, sat in the passenger's seat.

"The science block." She stated, knowing what I meant.

I stepped out of the car. I turned back but Alice was gone. I walked at a steady pace towards the science block. I finally reached the door after what felt like an age. I opened the door, no sign of him. I checked a few of the classrooms, when I reached my science room, I saw him. He wasn't how I imagined him; he looked pretty average actually, for a vampire. Dark brown hair, messy, petite frame, a soft face. His only menacing feature was his eyes, dark red, nearing black. He was hungry.

"Hi," I said dumbly. He smiled, it wasn't a menacing smile. Maybe he didn't want to hurt anyone.

"Like a moth to a flame," ...or maybe he did.

"Don't flatter yourself," I said. Trust me to get cocky. He laughed softly, darkly.

"Don't worry, I know the reason you're here," He took a slow step forward, "and I won't guarantee no one will get hurt," he smiled as if to some private joke. I knew instantly I wasn't getting out of this alive.

"Can't it just end with me?" I knew I had die, but I didn't want anyone else to have to suffer.

"Hmm, we'll see," He said, teasing me. Without warning he lunged himself at me. I managed to spin myself out of the way just in time and he collided with the desk behind me. I fell over and hit my head on one of the desks. I quickly got up, but I was too late. Before I had time to absorb what was happening, he was on top of me. His teeth sunk into my flesh, I could feel him biting me. Then I heard a crash and the door flew across the room. I could feel myself losing consciousness, I tried so hard to stay focused but things were starting to get hazy. I felt Robert being pulled off of me, I heard voices, sounds. Then nothing.

The next sound I heard was sobbing, Nathaniel's sobbing. What was making him sob like that? I desperately wanted to comfort him, to tell him that whatever was wrong we could fix, but I couldn't move, I couldn't even open my eyes. I tried desperately to move, his sobs giving me strength. I tried and tried, with no success, until my toe wriggled. Only a miniscule amount, but there was movement. I worked hard but I couldn't make it move anymore than that. Then the sobbing stopped and I could sense Nathaniel moving away, I wanted to call 

out to him, to tell him to stay, but I couldn't. I refocused on trying to move, using my frustration to give me strength. I don't know how much time passed but finally my toe moved fully, then all my toes, then my feet. I worked my way up, regaining control of my legs, hips, arms, and spine. I sat up and opened my eyes. The light hurt my eyes. I was outside, in some kind of meadow or field.

I stood up and tried walking, my balance was poor, but I stumbled forwards, into a wall of trees. I fell often, but I kept moving, I had no idea where I was going, but I had to try and find Nathaniel, to tell him I was alive. I don't know how long I had been walking for, when i heard a sound, like the wind, only really fast. Then all of a sudden without much warning Nathaniel burst into my line of sight. I started to sob; only no tears came out at all.

Nathaniel came to a halt and rushed into my arms. We held the embrace for an immeasurable amount of time, it might've been seconds, it might've been hours. The only thing I was aware of was Nathaniel in my arms and me in his. When we pulled apart and Nathaniel looked at me, he gasped, his jaw gaped open and his eyes were wide.

"Y-you...Y-you're..you can't be," He stuttered.

"What is it?" I asked worried. My voice didn't sound like my voice, it was slightly higher, yet softer, more musical, "No," i gasped.

"Yes," Nathaniel whispered, "you're a vampire now," he looked sad. Didn't he want to be stuck with me forever? Why did I feel burning at the back of my throat? Did that mean I was hungry? I was so confused, my head full of questions.

"Climb on my back," Nathaniel told me in a flat, distant voice I hadn't heard him use before. I did as he instructed and hopped onto his back, I held onto him and rested my chin on his shoulder. He started to run, really, really fast. I closed my eyes and breathed in his scent, savouring the moment. When we stopped I opened my eyes and whispered in his ear.

"I'm sorry," I climbed off of his back, I felt a lot stronger now, stronger than I had when I first woke up, stronger than before the attack.

"What for?" He asked. He turned to look at me, his face blank.

"For being a vampre," I said, his face instantly changed, now it was slightly confused, slightly angry.

"Why are you sorry for that? It wasn't your choice," he seemed confused.

"Because you don't want me forever," I said, I looked down at my feet.

"Is that what you think?" He asked me. I looked up and nodded, he laughed a little, "stay here will you, I'll be back in a second," He said, I nodded.

And this is where I stood; looking at the huge house at the end of the impossible drive. I knowing he was in there. The vampire I'd fallen so in love with. The same vampire I knew didn't want me like I wanted him. This is where I stood thinking back on the events that had occurred since I came to this strange but beautiful town.

All of a sudden Nathaniel was in front of me, something clutched in his hands, I couldn't quite see what it was.

"Jack, ever since I first saw you that day at school, you've never left my mind. When I thought I'd lost you, I knew I couldn't go on without you in my life. I can understand if you say no, seeing as how we've only known eachother such a short amount of time, but to me, it feels like I've kniown you forever," With that he got down on one knee and opened the box in his hand, "Jack Lillian Ball, will you marry me?" he asked. My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, I knew my mouth was gaping open. I closed my mouth, took a breath and opened it to speak, no words came out. I swallowed and tried again.

"Nathaniel, I would be honoured to marry you," I said beaming. He smiled so wide I was afraid his mouth would rip.

"Really?" he asked,

"Really," I said grinning.

It's been 10 years since I became a vampire, 8 years since me and Nathaniel got married and I've never been happier. I have the most amazing family, the most wonderful husband and what's more, the Scent of Roses no longer scares stiff, now it brings only happy memories.


End file.
